Jon Dunham

Jon Mitchell was full of praise for his Wellingborough Town squad after they hit top spot in the ChromaSport & Trophies United Counties League Premier Division on Tuesday night.

Having fought off relegation last season, the Doughboys have made a superb start to the new campaign and their 2-1 success at Newport Pagnell Town in midweek was enough to send them to the summit in the early standings.

Despite off-field uncertainty with the club facing eviction from their Dog & Duck home at the end of this season – a situation that has left their future in the balance – Mitchell and his players have produced the goods on the field.

With the Doughboys being exempt until the second qualifying round of the FA Vase, they are now without a game until they play Kirby Muxloe in the league a week on Saturday by which time they could have been knocked off the summit.

But, for the time being, Mitchell is savouring the moment.

“We didn’t feel it was good enough at Desborough (in a 5-3 defeat last weekend) because we have scored three goals away from home and come away with nothing,” the Doughboys boss said.

“So we changed from three at the back to a four on Tuesday, we changed the personnel and we played very well.

“It’s good to have that positivity around the place, especially with the things that have been happening off the field.

“It’s all about belief. We have said before that Stuart (assistant-manager Goosey) and I kept 90 per cent of last season’s squad that struggled because we knew it was better than the league position suggested.

“They have a good bond, they have a winning mentality and it has shown in the early stages.

“I take my hat off to them for what they have done so far.

“They have got tonight (Thursday) off as a ‘well done’ and then we will be back at it next week to get ready for the game with Kirby.”